Our Do or Die: Nightwing Love Story
by FujiwaraYuko
Summary: Nothing could compare to what I was feeling inside . . . Confliction. Envy. Broken pride. I thought that it was inconceivable for me to fall for anyone at first, but he showed me the bright side to everything, even when things were simply impossible. He's the one who taught me how to laugh and smile in the direst situations . . . and the one who made me fall . . . for him.
1. Preface

**Preface**

Nothing could compare to what I was feeling inside . . .

_Confliction._

_ Envy._

_ Broken pride._

I thought that it was inconceivable for me to fall for anyone at first, but he showed me the bright side to everything, even when things were simply impossible. He's the one who taught me how to laugh and smile in the direst situations . . . and the one who made me fall . . . for him. _He was my do or die._


	2. Chapter One: Thirteen

**Chapter One**

**Thirteen**

**Adrianne: Age 15**

**Robin/Nightwing/Richard Grayson: Age 16**

**August 20**

**Wayne Manor, Gotham City**

"Three of spades," I placed the card down.

"Four of hearts," he countered, placing his own card down onto the table.

We were playing cards under a dim light within Bruce Wayne's (a.k.a. Batman) manor, while it was raining furiously outside. Lightning struck moment after moment, and thunder reciprocated thereafter with its booming roar.

You could see the raindrops sliding down the window pane as the water droplets slid down the glass, absorbing other droplets as it fell down to the wooden sill.

"Hello, Adrianne," Richard waved his hand across my eyes, emphasizing the 'hello.'

"Oh, sorry," I shook my head lightly to 'clear' itself as I placed a five of diamonds down.

Evidently, we were playing "Thirteen" since Richard's meeting with the 'Team' was canceled, as it was a day off the lot of them.

"Ten of spades," he put his card on the mahogany table.

"Jack of hearts," I returned the favor as I continued to reminisce of the past recent events.

Though I wasn't part of the "Team," I was told constantly of the occurrences through Bruce or Richard, as Bruce was Batman and Richard was Robin. It was only a few years ago that the "Team" freed the Justice League from Vandal Savage's control through his nanotechnology and bio-circuitry invention, enslaving the entire League to the mercy of Klarion, the man of chaos, and Savage himself. Six of the League, Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, Hawkwoman, one of the two Green Lanterns, and Red Tornado, were missing for a full sixteen hours while the rest of the controlled League stayed at the Watchtower. As it turns out, Red Arrow was the mole, not Artemis, Miss Martian, or Superboy, as Arrow had indicated initially.

"King of clovers," Richard stated as he placed down his card.

"Ace of hearts," I countered.

He replied, "Pass."

"Pair of fours," I continued.

"Pair of sevens," he proceeded.

We were on our seventeenth game of "Thirteen," as we had played chess and exercised for hours upon hours each earlier. He and Batman rarely appeared as the Dynamic Duo against crime against the Joker since he had joined the "Team." I used to assist Batman on his international missions from the League until I was allowed to go on out on my own, giving myself missions and activities to complete by myself.

To the public, I wasn't known as anybody, for I left my scenes as quickly and with as much stealth as I came to the scene. That was my way of doing things, I didn't want to become known except that my name was Adrianne Wayne, and I was adopted by Bruce Wayne and attended Gotham Academy as the science wiz as Richard was the mathematics genius.

"So who's your lucky girl right now?" I chuckled at the thought of Richard's unlucky girls he dumped ever so often.

He had dated Zatanna and Rocket for a year each, and was now jumping from girl to girl depending on who interested him at the moment at Gotham.

"Erm," he blushed madly. "Sarah Mclean."

"How many girls are you going to dump before you find the 'one'?" I punched him playfully from across the table.

"Don't pressure me," he sighed as he dropped the remainder of his cards onto the table, snatching mine out of my hands, and put them back into the cardboard container. "I think I'm done playing board games for the day. It's ten in the night already, and I want to sleep early before going back to the Cave tomorrow. Besides, Batman has a mission for you early tomorrow as well, and from what I heard, it's a mission from the League."

"If you say so," I replied as I opened the door to the hallways. "Good night."

"Good night," he replied as he too left the room for bed.

After glancing one last time in his direction, I sighed and left for my room.

_Beep._

_ Beep._

_ Beep._

The alarm rang boisterously across my room. Slamming the switch off, I arose from bed, wearing a light blue tank top and light gray sweatpants, rubbing my eyes, and went to the bathroom to do hygiene.

Only a few rays of sunshine could be seen through the translucent, laced curtains that hung above the windows of my room. From the bathroom, I brushed my teeth in a cleanly fashion, showered, brushed my black hair neatly, placed my hologram-activating watch onto my wrist, and put on my clothes, consisting of a dark navy blue long-sleeved T-shirt, covered with a sleeveless, puffed, dark brown jacket that reached above my waist. Then, I put on my black pants that reached only an inch past my knee, and had an inch-long slit on the outer side of the pants.

I knew Bruce was already up due to the fact that he always woke at five A.M. sharp and on the dot, as I woke up at a later schedule of six.

I tiptoed to Batman's office as Richard was still asleep and usually did not wake until six-thirty, unless he was off on a mission with Batman.

I knocked on the office door two times, before I heard Batman answer "come in."

At that response, I opened the door, entered, and closed it, thereafter stepping up to his desk, where he reclined on his movable office chair.

He was in his Bruce Wayne attire, instead of his Batman uniform, as he turned on his holographic screen between the two of us.

"The League has agreed for you to go on a long-term mission to Rhelasia and Bialya as it seems as if Lex Luther and Queen Bee are on the move in the underground roads beneath the two countries. We have intel that there are Cadmus related research at the two countries, and we must gather more intel and information about the scientific research there," Bruce informed me.

"In other words," I reiterated the information to ensure my complete understanding of the mission. "You want me to infiltrate, if any, Cadmus labs, gather intel and information concerning anything remaining there, and return with any intel, no? That shouldn't take too long."

"Not only that," Bruce continued. "Infiltrate, but then also enter the underground temples in Bialya, for there are several that interest us and a few villains have taken several artifacts from there and increased their powers tremendously."

"How long should this take?" I asked, to make sure that I would not ever be behind schedule.

"A few months to a year, at the least, if not more. You will be taking a helicopter to Rhelasia first and then you will walk to Bialya, and get past the guards and border," Bruce replied, hands folded on the desk. "Alright, pack whatever you need, but pack as lightly as possible."

"Yes, sir," I bowed slightly as Bruce nodded his head.

"Good luck," he smiled grimly. "And don't get caught."

I chuckled, "I don't get caught that easily."

"I know," he replied before dismissing me.

I scurried to my room to pack whatever I needed. Water bottles, a few granola bars, an extra set of what I was now wearing, pajamas (shorts and a T-shirt), three pairs of socks, water canteen, a mini notebook, and three pens.

As I passed one of my drawers, I remembered my locket, which contained a picture of Richard on one side and a picture of Bruce on the other. Those two pictures were contained in a white gold locket, in courtesy of Bruce, and I needed it for the memories in case I became homesick. The locket was impossible to open unless _I_ was the one opening it. It became magical after Zatanna had placed a spell upon it.

As I reached to open the door, Richard was there rubbing his eye in one hand with the other on the handle, before looking straight into my deep brown eyes.

"How long will you be gone?" was the first question he asked as we stood staring at each other.

"A few months to a year," I replied, looking down at the ground. "Or more."

His face looked distorted for a moment before placing his hand at my chin, lifting my face up to face him squarely in the eye, "Don't die on me, and come back soon, okay?"

"Okay," I smiled softly as he tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear before embracing me into a hug.

Returning the embrace, I placed my chin at the crevice of his neck and closed my eyes, inhaling his scent (fresh cotton by the way), branding it into my head before my leave to Rhelasia.

"I'm going to miss your seventeenth birthday," I told him as we were still embracing. "So happy early birthday."

"You better come back before then," he laughed lightly as we released one another. "Good luck."

"Thanks," I smiled. "Good luck on your other missions too, Richard."

He smirked, "Won't need it, but . . . thanks anyways."

I rolled my eyes, "See ya."

"See ya" were the two last words I heard before leaving for the copter waiting for me to head for Rhelasia.


	3. Chapter Two: Preface to Disaster

**Chapter Two**

**Preface to Disaster**

**Five Years Later**

**August 25**

**The Watchtower**

_Five Days Earlier . . ._

**Third Person's Point of View**

Five years had passed since Adrianne had left for her mission in both Rhelasia and Bialya. Before the end of her supposed "year" on the mission, she radioed to Batman telling him that the mission would take her another year or two before she could gather a _complete_ entry of information on the corrupt activity in both of the nations of Bialya and Rhelasia.

However . . . There was no contact from the girl for over four years, leaving a concerned Batman and the League to figure out where she had been. This was a League concern, especially Batman's . . . One of his wardens was missing. He wasn't just going to let the disappearance of his warden slide.

Just when the League was about to ask the Cave for assistance, a package was sent via zeta, containing the dried, bloodied volumes of notes written by Adrianne herself concerning Rhelasia and Bialya.

The League read the volumes, deciphering a few in Morse Code here and there, but otherwise, it was about how Lex Corporations had been funding both Rhelasias, the blue scarab temple, Queen B. and her alliance with the Light, and so forth, but all in great detail.

There was a leather compartment attached to the cover of the last volume of notes. It read:

Dear Batman,

These are all the volumes I Have contained over the course of these years.

I don't Even know when this Letter will reach you . . . However, I have had a

few leads concerning the Light, and will investigate. I'll Probably be back by

this date:

June 20, 2017—To visit Wally, since I did not hear of his death until

just recently.

If I don't come back around by then . . . then I most likely assigned myself

another mission . . . However, if you're in any _dire _need for my assistance

at any given time, I will be there. You just need to twist the "pen"

attached to here. It will be rendered useless after you use it _once_, but . . .

it will suffice as a pen. I heard that Robin became Nightwing, and a new Robin

has come to take his place. Hahaha, good luck, Jason. I also heard about the

Team's successes against the Reach and how they broke the Light in half . . .

Give them my congratulations. Oh, and the pen thingy . . . it's a recording.

And if I don't come by to wherever your coordinates are without saying

anything within a day, I'm probably dead. I'm kidding. Though that is the

most likely situation. But seriously, I won't die.

Adrianne W.

After Batman read the letter, he squinted at the words. Something was wrong. Adrianne hated incorrect grammar and never _ever_ sent letters, and, as for a fact, there were capitalized letters scattered here and there . . . And they all spelled . . . "H-E-L-P." _Help . . ._ Was the main message of this letter what this was? Maybe her addiction to Sherlock wasn't much of a bad thing. The letter was torn off after her signature.

"Green Arrow," I said monotonously, calling him over to where I was.

"What's wrong?" he replied, strolling over to me.

"Read this letter and tell me yourself," I instructed him, handing him the letter carefully.

He skimmed the letter, squinting his eyes as well at the randomly placed capitalized letters scattered throughout the letter.

"I thought Adrianne said she never sent letters and hated bad grammar," he raised an eyebrow as he returned the letter back to me.

"Not only that, but the volume of notes are bloodied as well . . ." I exhaled a long breath. "The capitalized letters spell "help," which I am not sure if she is the one who sent this letter, someone forced her, or she wrote it like this on purpose."

"Not a word to the Team just yet," I ordered my fellow comrade.

"Alright," he replied. "But they'll have to know eventually . . . especially Robin and Nightwing."

I sighed, "I know, but just not _now."_

After a few days had passed and Batman was sure something was suspicious about the letter, he called the "Team" into the main atrium, where he would brief them, and select who was to find . . . the missing Adrianne.

"Team," Batman began in that absolute tone of his. "I believe you all have heard of Adriane, my former ward."

A photo of the missing girl flashed onto the hologram, which, at sight, the eyes of both Nightwing and Robin widened.

"Simply put," he said. "She's missing."

"What?!" Nightwing exclaimed immediately.

A series of murmurs were scattered through the room.

"She sent us a package filled with the mission details the League sent her to complete five years ago . . . However, a letter was attached to the last volume of the notes, and it has brought the League into suspicion that she either wrote the letter to trick us, wrote the letter in truth, someone forced her to write as so, or someone forged it. She's under the radar, and within the letter, there was a pen, which one could twist the nob of the pen to alert her if we need her assistance . . . but we are not sure if this is a trick . . . a bomb . . . so we are still weary not to use it just yet," Batman informed them. "The notes were also scattered with blood . . . with some of the books even drenched in them . . . and the League is currently analyzing whose blood it is . . . or even whether or not it _is_ even blood."

"So who will go?" Aqualad, the leader of the team, asked.

"I have decided to send Aqualad, Nightwing, Miss Martian, and Superboy into the Cadmus labs on the border between Rhelasia and Bialya," Batman briefed. "Artemis, Bart, ahem, I mean, Kid Flash, Robin, and Blue Beetle will head into the Scarab Temple and gather as much information about this case . . . and decipher the writings on the walls . . . take pictures if you need to as well. Lagoon Boy, Guardian, and Bumble Bee. . . the lot of you will go into Rhelasia and see if there are any clues into this case . . . You all will be given copies of the evidence we currently have. You will depart after the blood analysis is complete. Any questions?"

"What about me and Batgirl?" Wonder Girl asked, raising her hand. "What will _we_ do?"

"You two will stay here at the Watchtower . . . where we will depart you two on another mission . . . after we finish collecting all the evidence to this new nemesis Superman has seemed to form . . ." Batman sighed before dismissing them all for the night.

_Present_

The entire team, aside from both Wonder Girl and Batgirl, were contained in their individual test tubes, chained . . . as Cadmus kept them in their . . . _cells . . ._

Nightwing, Aqualad, Miss Martian, and Superboy were captured first . . . as they were the ones who infiltrated Cadmus first . . . attempting to steal information on their lost comrade. They were caught by the alien technology censors and were subdued.

Second to be captured was the team of Artemis (technically now Tigress), Kid Flash, Robin, and Blue Beetle as Queen Bee had intercepted their radio signals to one another and caught the lot of them off guard with poison gas, knocking the powerful lot of them in seconds.

Third to be seized was the team of Lagoon Boy, Guardian, and Bumble Bee, who were all captured by Lex Luthor, who had also intercepted their radio signals to one another just like the second team. They were also sent to Cadmus and contained there as well.

After the silence of these members for a few days, Batman sent Canary and Green Arrow to the scene, which they found the captured "Team," and were about to liberate them. However, the Brain caught them red-handed, subdued them as well, and kept them in pods just like the rest of them. Belle Reve collars were upon those with superpowers, so that none could escape with any ease.

After weeks of the two Leaguers missing, Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman traveled there themselves to see what was happening. However, like all that was to be, they were also subdued, although Superman did appear to be a formidable opponent . . . it was no match for the Brain's conductivity to mass-produce its special toxic formula.

They were contained as well . . . and when all seemed to take a turn for the worse . . . it didn't.


	4. Chapter Three: The Truth

**Chapter Three**

**The Truth**

**September 17**

**Cadmus Labs in Rhelasia and Bialya**

**Nightwing's Point of View**

We were contained in these . . . these . . . _pods_ like all those years ago . . . and when Wally was still alive . . . However . . . this time, the entire Team, aside from Batgirl and Wonder Girl and the rest of the League, Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Arrow, and Black Canary were being contained along with us. Batman's finger pick had been dismantled from him, so he could not pick the cuffs containing him. Hell, even _I_ couldn't pick it myself, for they had taken all my weapons from me as well. Not to mention, Superboy was in an irate mood, for his transparent animosity towards Cadmus and their testing tubes.

The room was now empty, aside from the guards safeguarding from outside the thick, soundproof, metal walls containing us.

"So what now?" I asked, looking specifically at Batman, since he was the mastermind for just about everything . . . and Robin and I were out of ideas.

"We have thought of every plan, but to of no avail," Aqualad sighed.

"This is just great," Kid Flash exhaled loudly. "Not only are _we_ comprised in these . . . _tubes . . ._ but even _five_ _other_ Justice League members are contained as well . . . _A-and,_ not to mention, other League members will eventually be on their way here by the end of this week!"

"I'm just hoping that Cassie doesn't come after us or anything," I heard Robin mutter from beside me.

Hey, these tubes were not exactly soundproof, unlike the metal doors containing us . . . Were these mad scientists that evil to want to heard us scream in pain and agony?

Just then, the metal doors receded, out appearing Lex Luthor, the Brain, Queen Bee, and Vandal Savage.

Superman glared at Luthor, while the rest of us simply scowled or glowered at the four of them.

Savage chuckled icily before saying, "You should probably know . . . how you all came to be contained here . . . and _why_ . . ."

"Probably have a few questions of your own," the Brain stated lightly in that Russian, French, Spanish or whatever accent of his.

"Then _why_ are we contained here," Batman asked, however in more of that of a statement.

Lex Luthor gave us all that classic chuckle of his, "First of all, the package you received from supposedly Adrianne was a fake."

This bold statement earned from us all gasps and caught breaths.

"What?" Batman responded too quickly for words, eyes wide.

"She actually _did_ send you a package containing . . . the . . . _actual . . ._ notebooks . . . But we intercepted it, of course, and filled the package with the notes with blood and attached the notes at the end . . . Of course, if we applied _fake_ notes, it would take too much longer to forge her handwriting, and the package would not arrive in time . . . Therefore . . . you see? The Light is quite cunning with their . . . _plans,"_ Luthor smirked at the captives.

I caught a glimpse of a shadow moving up from the beams of the "ceiling." There was no ceiling, but there were black horizontal beams keeping up the structure . . . if you know what I mean.

"So where is Adrianne," Superman spat at his nemesis. "What did you do to her?"

"Ah, truth be told, we don't know where she is," Queen Bee sighed. "Though she would have become a great asset to the Light and our . . . _allies."_

"Not to mention," Luthor continued, pulling out a USB drive from his pocket, earning a few caught breaths from around the room. "The file within Green Arrow's bag containing all League activity and the League's secret identities . . . Of course, we haven't looked at it yet . . . But it is already downloading into the computer as we speak . . . By the time we return, the cloning process will begin, and we will now know of your identities . . . especially Batman's."

I bit my lip, but then saw another shadow lurk from behind the four Light members, and then became weary. Who . . . or _what_ was it?

"Now, now, we don't want to ruin the _surprise _we _have_ for them in stock, now don't we?" Savage smiled smugly, as the Light members all gave him a chuckle before they exited the metal doors, which closed upon their departure.

The shadow I saw lurk jump down from the beam up from above, wearing a mask similar to that of Sportsmaster. The person wore a dark black packa jacket with dark-gray leggings. Judging from the figure, the person was a female with black hair, but the mask shadowed her face.

She glided over to the super-computer at the center of the corner of the room. She turned it on and plugged in her USB from her pocket into the given slot. As she went through file to file, downloading and then deleting each, she eventually stumbled upon the given information of the League, and their secret identities. From the corner of my eye, I noticed both Batman and Green Arrow hold in their breaths. What was she going to do with the information?

After staring at the screen, she fumbled upon several keys on the keyboard and deleted the files before any of the Light could apprehend the identities of the League's members. After exiting the pages she was using on the computer, she shut it down, then turned around to look at us.

"Who are you?" Canary questioned, glaring daggers at her.

The figure shrugged as she walked over to an unconscious Artemis, who hung limply in her cell.

The girl opened the tube, took out a syringe containing some hazy fluid, and injected whatever serum it was into Artemis before closing the tube.

Artemis had been drugged with the poison far more than anyone else on her team, and none of us could help her in our current state.

"What did you do to her?" Kid Flash yelled, not wanting Wally's love to die so soon just after her boyfriend had. "Are you trying to get her killed?"

The girl simply smirked and put her pointer finger at her lips, signaling him to be silent.

She strolled back over to the super-computer, typed in the password, and continued looking into the Cadmus files.

A few moments later, Artemis opened her eyes slowly, adjusting her eyes to the lighting of the room.

"Artemis! You're alright!" Kid Flash shouted in glee.

"Yeah, I guess," she replied as she blinked her eyes continuously before eventually returning to its normal pace.

Without warning, the doors to the room opened revealing Vandal Savage and Psimon, who was probably summoned to erase our minds and later download them into our clones.

"What's with all the racket in this room?" Savage boomed menacingly at us before turning his eyes to the girl, who did not even bother to look back at the two evils behind her. "How did you get in here?"

The last phrase sounded more of an imperative mark, instead of a question, if you ask me.

The girl turned around, flashed him a dazzling smile (to me anyways), and returned her eyes to the screen.

He squinted his eyes at her, before lunging, and for the first time today, she said one word: "Arsenal."

With that being said, a red arrow came shooting at Savage, engulfing the man in coral foam, before it transformed into cement, encasing the man completely in the substance (aside from the head, he needs to breathe at least).

With this being done, Psimon attempted to escape, but to of no avail, as another arrow came crashing down toward him, giving him the same result as Savage.

"So," a masculine voice from above asked. "Can I come down now?"

"Indeed you may," the girl replied, mocking an English accent.

Arsenal, formerly called "Speedy," was Green Arrow's protégée, before he was captured by Cadmus, cloned, and encased in blue serum, losing about eight years of his life, before his clone, Red Arrow, freed him from his captivity.

No one really knew where Arsenal (a.k.a. Roy Harper) went until now, but why was he here with the girl?

"Roy!" Green Arrow shouted in joy at the sight of his former protégée. "You came to rescue us!"

The man coughed before replying, "I, um, actually came here to delete the information about the League from the Light's possession as a training exercise with my teacher, in quotes."

"Wait, so she's your teacher?" Green Arrow replied in exasperation, raising his left eyebrow significantly. "Since when? What did she teach you?"

"_She_," the girl laughed. "Has a name."

"Well, I don't _know_ your name," Green Arrow pouted.

"To be honest," she laughed yet again. "You should."

Just then, the doors opened, revealing Lex Luthor and Queen Bee, who both entered shocked at the unconscious Savage and Psimon.

"What is going on here?" Queen Bee screamed on the slight calm side of the spectrum.

Luthor and she glanced at the girl, hacking away at the files of Light.

"You!" Queen Bee pointed her finger accusingly. "You're the one who freed all of our test subjects last month! You're one of the reasons the Light and the Reach had trouble reaching an agreement! You hacked their security systems and took intel from our grasp . . . You _monster . . ."_

"Aw," the girl gave her condolences. "Personally speaking, I don't view myself as one."

Queen Bee narrowed her eyes at her before using her psychic powers to control her.

"Nuh-uh-uh," the girl sing-songed, waving her pointer finger at the villain. "That won't work."

She charged at the woman in hand-to-hand combat, blocking each and every punch or hit to her body with ease and stealth.

Everyone watched as the girl hit the pressure points of Queen Bee, eventually rendering the woman temporarily paralyzed and unable to move.

"May I have this dance?" the girl curtsied, looking at Luthor.

"Perhaps another time," Luthor replied grimly before disappearing into the smoke of his smoke bomb.

"Done downloading and deleting the files yet, Roy?" the girl asked her partner.

"Yup," he replied, taking the USB out of the plug-in. "What about the Team and the League members?"

"Oops," she put her hand over her mouth in fake 'amnesia.' "I need to get to Gotham U. as quickly as possible though . . . Graduation . . ."

"That's true," he replied. "There should be a Batarang here somewhere."

"Eh, whatever, I'll just hack the system again," she shrugged, hacking away, setting the timer of the release of us.

"Wait a moment . . ." I narrowed my eyes at the girl.

Wicked hacking skills . . . Long black hair . . . Melodious voice . . . Slim figure . . . Sword on her back . . . Precise pressure point attack skills . . .

"Adrianne?" Batman finished my sentence, earning the girl all stares from all of us.

"Took you long enough," she turned around with a smile plastered on her face . . . as she took off the mask, revealing her beautiful face underneath.


	5. Chapter Four: Reunion

**Chapter Four**

**Reunion**

**September 17**

**Cadmus Labs in Rhelasia and Bialya**

**Adrianne Wayne's Point of View**

"Where've you been all this time?" Nightwing asked me, a glint of pain flashed through his eyes.

Truth be told, I left because I knew Richard would never love me, but, I was over that little crushing fiasco now, and it was all in the past. I wasn't in love with anyone right now, though Arsenal and I teased each other with flirts continuously.

"I've was in the States for a few months . . . and now . . . then I went to Paris, where I met Roy, and we completed a mission together, and we've been partners ever since," I explained as I exited the last of the files on the computer. "You'll all be released from your cells in about a minute. My last message is to Batman."

I walked over to his testing tube and placed a contraption before his cell.

"This is . . . a second calling device for my help in case you would ever need it, or if the other one has been tainted by Cadmus," I said as I glanced at the countdown for their release: thirty seconds remaining.

"We should get going," Arsenal told me. "Get done with graduation and then leave. You could be my _personal_ doctor."

"Ha. Ha. Ha," I 'laughed.' "Real funny, _Roy."_

From the sidelines, we heard Batman 'cough,' which also signaled our leave.

"See you all later," I smirked before I released the smoke bomb from my hands.

And that, my friends, was the last time they ever saw me . . . for a while.

"Congrats on graduation! You're officially a general surgeon!" the professor handed me my diploma and my graduation certificate. "Top of your class yet again, Miss Ackerman."

"Thank you," I faked a smile as I took the two items from his hands.

I then strolled to the backstage where the rest of the students who had received their diplomas already as well.

I then sneaked out to the back, changed back into uniform, and then met up with Roy.

"That was quick," he smirked as he was already in uniform himself. "Where to next?"

"According to the data files we took at Cadmus, there's some kind of project they're working on, similar to the one Aquagirl died from. They're collecting pieces to some kind of subterranean temple. Well, they're finding the pieces to make the key and _then_ enter the supposed temple and release some sort of entity.

"Who's in charge of that mission . . . for the Light, I mean," Roy questioned. "Klarion? Savage? Who?"

"Hm," I sighed as I scrolled down the page of the hologram. "It says that Luthor is in charge of the task, though Frost, Captain Cold, and Icicle Jr. are all subordinates of the plan. They're in the Himalayas."

Roy nodded, "Who else?"

I heard a twig snap and immediately pulled Roy out of the way. I placed my pointer finger over my lips, signaling him to stay silent. We were currently hiding up in the high branches of a deciduous tree, in the forest by the Gotham Public Center, where the graduation was held.

From above, I heard another noise: breathing—ragged as if the person was tired from running.

I then sighed and pulled both myself and Roy out of the tree's protection after I was sure the steps and the person himself/herself was gone.

"Cheshire and Sportsmaster are in the Beetle ruins looking for something apparently, but it doesn't state what exactly," I sighed. "I don't have the database to research these things discreetly like before. This is relatively new information that my own database doesn't possess yet. I _could_ revamp it at the Watchtower, but I don't exactly what to see the Justice League right now."

"True, we all have our grudges against the League, don't we?" Roy exhaled a breath before stepping back and forth again and again, seemingly searching for an idea to grasp.

"We could always sneak in, right?" I raised an eyebrow, smirking in the process.

"True, definitely true," Roy returned the smirk as well. "When do we begin?"

"Now," I smiled playfully as I placed my mask on—the both of us making a beeline to Metropolis, where one of the zeta tubes were held.

"Oh my gosh, Adrianne," Roy gagged. "How long does it take to freaking hack a zeta tube?"

"A while," I snapped. "Now shut up."

"So mean . . ." he deadpanned as I gave him a glare, shutting him up immediately. "So what's it called again? The thing we're looking for?"

I smacked my forehead with one hand as I replied, "I totally forgot to tell you. How could I . . . In any case, it's something like 'Lyatle' or something of the sort."

"Oh, okay," Roy nodded his head as he allowed me to continue my work.

After about five to ten more minutes, I finished hacking the system and we both zeta'd to the Watchtower.

It was about ten at night, not much activity would be happening at the Watchtower since most of the superheroes would be about and saving the people of their respective cities . . . fighting crime here and there and everywhere.

Roy and I hid behind a shadowed wall as we looked at the enclosed meeting room—intent filled within our eyes.

"What's the plan for tonight, Nightwing?" I heard a feminine voice ask flirtatiously.

_Zatanna._

I gave a slight, soft snicker as Roy gave me a glare—probably signaling for me to shut up myself.

"Sleep," he replied with equal flirtation.

I rolled my eyes. Richard was still a playboy as always.

"Hey, you guys," I heard Artemis call from the other room. "We're watching the Hunger Games. Care to join?"

"Coming," Richard replied as he took Zatanna's hand and led her to that specific room, closing the door behind him.

After a few more moments, ensuring that no one else was going to come into the meeting room or the main atrium for a while, Roy and I immediately took action.

"I'll hack this system," I immediately took command of the situation. "You hack the other database. Check for everything."

"Got it," Roy mocked me a salute before doing what he was told, but first drawing an arrow at the security cameras to hide our entities at the site.

Straightaway, I attempted to find any files concerning the supposed 'Lyatle.' Though there were not many files concerning the topic, there was one particular file that interested me the most.

"Roy," I whispered after we were about eight minutes into the hacking.

"Hm?" he replied, leaving his work to come over to where I was.

"Look at this," I pointed out to a particular diagram on the holographic computer. "Apparently, this contraption's pieces are being dug out by archeologists all over the globe. Many have given up, however, and . . . some were never seen again in their search for the pieces?"

His eyes widened as he continued to read the file.

"We can use this database to hack into the Light's, right?" Roy asked me quietly, as we didn't exactly want to give away our location or existence on the Watchtower.

I hesitated before replying, "We _could_, but it's very risky. The Light could hack into this system while we are hacking theirs."

"Dang it," Roy sighed as he returned to his database to continue deciphering more information concerning the object.

I then returned my attention to the data we stole from Cadmus. Three of the ice freaks were in the frigid Himalayas. Cheshire and Sportsmaster were in the desert at the Beetle ruins. I scrolled down to gather more information. Black Manta and his team at the Atlantean temples? What? I thought Aqualad had already defeated him . . .

"Roy, Black Manta is on guard at the Atlantean temples apparently looking for another piece of whatever that "Lyatle" thing is," I muttered as he was still hacking his database.

"Adrianne," he whispered, maintaining silent speech. "There's five pieces of this 'Lyatle.' One's, I'm going to, quote quote, 'guess,' in the Himalayas—somewhere cold, the Beetle ruins—somewhere hot, the Atlantean ruins—underwater, and there's two more places that we don't really know of. They're probably in that file we took from Cadmus. Keep reading it."

"Already doing that, Roy," I sighed as I continued to read. "There's one in . . . Wait, what!"

"Sh! You idiot" Roy snapped, evidently annoyed at my sudden outburst.

"There's one on Warworld!" I said with my eyes wide. "How the hell are we going to get to _Warworld_ when we don't even have the equipment or anything to pinpoint the freaking planet!"

Roy grunted, "Then, in that case, Savage must already have it. He's the one controlling that freaking planet, after all."

"Gr," I scrunched my teeth together. "Why did I even bother becoming a freaking heroine . . ."

"Um," Roy teased by winking at me. "Because you wanted to marry me?"

I then slapped his shoulder, "Idiot, no."

We then both chuckled at our little jokes.

"Man! That was such a good movie!" we heard someone say from outside the meeting room. "I don't understand _why_ I have to leave in the middle of it to clean up the meeting room."

Bart Allen then came in in civilian clothes as Roy and I quickly exited the databases we were working on and hid behind one of the pillars nearest to the wall.

"Hey, Bart!" another voice called the boy. "There's popcorn in the kitchen, want some?"

His eyes widened with glee as he made a beeline towards the kitchen, "Coming! Definitely, dude! So crash!"

I breathed a sigh of relief once the boy left the room, "We'd better hurry up with the data before that boy comes back for us."

"Warworld, Himalayas, Atlantis, Beetle Ruins . . ." I muttered. "Where could the fifth one be?"

Roy hesitated before responding, "In the database, there was something about Yosemite have some rare properties and extremities experienced at the Himalayas and in Bialyia and the Beetle ruins."

"That's all I needed to hear," I stated as I took out the USB from the insert. "You downloaded your files as well, correct?"

"They're 89% done," Roy replied as the data slowly increased percent by percent.

"C'mon," I sighed. "They're come about any second. That new Kid Flash, I mean."

"Not like we have any other _option_," Roy flared as the downloading process was now at 94%.

"Okay, I get your point, but seriously," I frowned at our current situations.

"We go through situations in which we almost _die_ from, and you're freaking out over _this_ matter, really?" Roy smacked his forehead, embarrassed to have ever known me.

I then kissed his cheek, "Sorry, Roy."

His cheeks then flared a light coral, "E-erm, o-okay."

_Download 100% complete. _The computer sing-songed loudly.

"Gee, so much for our cover," I sighed as I then took out my grappler gun and shot it at the ceiling, pulling myself up along with it.

Roy did the same thing as I, pulling himself to the shadowed corner at the side of the room, behind the pillar.

He made hand signs to me, asking how to escape, and I responded in the same manner, signaling that there was a pole inside the pillar, though I would first have to hack the motion censors and security cameras before going down and using that form of exit.

Batman and the founders of the League, made the meeting room, so that if there of any disturbance or if the Watchtower was under any attack while it was still in the process, then they would use that escape route.

I then finished hacking the censors and cameras just as Aqualad and the others entered the room, with their appropriate weapons at hand,

"Who's there?" Aqualad dared to ask as I pushed Roy through the pillar's escape function first.

"The holographic computer is on," Richard stated the obvious as he quickly typed the password and looked at what files were downloaded. "Whoever did this took the files concerning Yosemite State Park, the Himalayas, Atlantean ruins, Warworld, and the Beetle Ruins. These were apparently the locations of . . . what?!"

"What is it, Nightwing?" I heard Artemis ask as I mounted myself onto the pole leading down to the base of the Watchtower.

I then attached a tracer/camera at the corner of the room that could pick up all sorts of frequencies, depending on which ones you wanted to hear. I activated the tracer/camera device and slid down the pole, not wanting to _personally_ hear more of the latter.

Once I reached the end of the line, I re-attached my grappler device to my utility belt and quickly re-hacked the zeta system, transporting us back to Metropolis.

"Again, _too_ close for comfort," I exhaled the breath I held back for quite long.

"You could say _that_ again," Roy leaned against the wall, slightly exhausted.

"Tired already?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Nope, just getting started," he winked at me before we both laughed.

"Then we'd better get going," I sighed. "Yosemite Park, Himalayas, Warworld, Atlantis, and Beetle Ruins."

"This is going to take a while," Roy frowned. "It's a pretty expansive vicinity to cover. It would take from three months to a year to complete."

"We could always call the League for help," I stated. "But, that would make us seem weak."

"Yeah," Roy placed his around my shoulder, resting his hand against the brim of it.

"Shall we get going?" I smiled at him, leaning my head against the crevice between his shoulder and neck.

"Something to eat first?" he 'begged.'

"Sure," I chuckled as we then ambled our way to the nearest convenient store to get something light to eat.

**Nightwing's Point of View**

"These files," I muttered, barely audible for the Team to hear. "I think they're somehow linked together . . . Somewhat like the time when . . . um . . . Aquagirl was in _that_ mission."

Aqualad was quick to respond, "Kid Flash, get the video recording from the security cameras immediately."

The boy saluted, saying, "Already on it."

On the spur of the moment, he already zoomed out of the room and was out of sight.

I then exhaled slowly, frustrated that there wasn't any information regarding who had hacked into the systems or any sign of zeta activity within the system . . . This was weird, and I knew that none of us here was a traitor. The situation with the Reach had already past . . . at the highest of all costs—the death of Wally West.

I heard the Zeta tubes work as it stated:

"Recognized: _Batman 02."_

"Batman," Artemis stated. "Thank goodness you're here."

"There's only six of you here?" Batman eyed Superboy, Artemis (Tigress), Zatanna, Aqualad, Blue Beetle, and I.

"Kid Flash is getting the security footage as we speak, sir," Aqualad stated.

Superboy and Zatanna both walked over at either side of me as I was still hopelessly attempting to hack away at the stolen information.

"What happened?" Batman narrowed his eyes at the holographic screen.

"Someone downloaded information regarding the Himalayas, Yosemite, Atlantis, the Beetle Ruins, and Warworld, and we don't know who."

"Got the security footage!" Kid Flash shouted merrily as he zoomed to where Aqualad was, handing him the disc.

"Nightwing," he called my name. "Mind if put this into the player?"

"Not at all," I nodded my head backing out of the way as he placed the disc into the player complex.

I squinted my eyes at the repeated footage before saying, "It's looped."

"Allow me," Batman said as he turned his attention to the holographic computer, typing away at a few things before restarting the footage.

"A camera still records even though you place a virus into the system's TV screen to make it look like it's something else," Batman informed us as we then returned out attention to the screen.

Two figures made their way into the room as they both hacked the two separate computers respectively.

Artemis squinted her eyes, "Is that . . . Roy and Adrianne?"

I turned the audio up.

_"Look at this," she pointed out to a particular diagram on the holographic computer. "Apparently, this contraption's pieces are being dug out by archeologists all over the globe. Many have given up, however, and . . . some were never seen again in their search for the pieces?"_

"What contraption is she talking about?" Kid Flash raised his eyebrow as he began stuffing his face with popcorn.

We all deadpanned at his actions.

_"We can use this database to hack into the Light's, right?" Roy asked._

_ Adrianne hesitated before replying, "We could, but it's very risky. The Light could hack into this system while we are hacking theirs."_

_ "Dang it," Roy sighed as he returned to his database to continue deciphering more information concerning the object._

"Again, what. Object. Are. They. Talking. About?" Kid Flash waved his right hand in the air once again as the other was holding the bowl of popcorn.

"We don't know," Artemis snapped. "Now shush, we're trying to hear what they're saying."

_"Roy, Black Manta is on guard at the Atlantean temples apparently looking for another piece of whatever that "Lyatle" thing is," Adrianne muttered as Roy was still hacking his database._

_ "Adrianne," he whispered, maintaining silent speech. "There's five pieces of this 'Lyatle.' One's, I'm going to, quote quote, 'guess,' in the Himalayas—somewhere cold, the Beetle ruins—somewhere hot, the Atlantean ruins—underwater, and there's two more places that we don't really know of. They're probably in that file we took from Cadmus. Keep reading it."_

_ "Already doing that, Roy," She sighed as she continued to read. "There's one in . . . Wait, what!"_

_ "Sh! You idiot" Roy snapped, evidently annoyed at my sudden outburst._

_ "There's one on Warworld!" She said with her eyes wide. "How the hell are we going to get to Warworld when we don't even have the equipment or anything to pinpoint the freaking planet!"_

_ Roy grunted, "Then, in that case, Savage must already have it. He's the one controlling that freaking planet, after all."_

_ "Gr," Adrianne scrunched her teeth together. "Why did I even bother becoming a freaking heroine . . ."_

_ "Um," Roy teased by winking at her. "Because you wanted to marry me?"_

_ She then slapped his shoulder, "Idiot, no."_

_They then both chuckled at their little jokes._

I paused the tape, and glanced at Batman.

"I thought Black Manta was goners," I stated as I took a quick glance at Aqualad.

"Aquaman locked him up down in Atlantis," Batman stated. "If he escaped, then Aquaman either did not tell us, or he doesn't know."

"Continue the tape," Superboy said as I pressed the 'play' button.

_"Man! That was such a good movie!" we heard someone say from outside the meeting room. "I don't understand why I have to leave in the middle of it to clean up the meeting room."_

_ Bart Allen then came in in civilian clothes as Roy and Adrianne quickly exited the databases they were working on and hid behind one of the pillars nearest to the wall._

_ "Hey, Bart!" another voice called the boy. "There's popcorn in the kitchen, want some?"_

_ His eyes widened with glee as he made a beeline towards the kitchen, "Coming! Definitely, dude! So crash!"_

_ Adrianne breathed a sigh of relief once the boy left the room, "We'd better hurry up with the data before that boy comes back for us."_

_ "Warworld, Himalayas, Atlantis, Beetle Ruins . . ." She muttered. "Where could the fifth one be?"_

_ Roy hesitated before responding, "In the database, there was something about Yosemite have some rare properties and extremities experienced at the Himalayas and in Bialyia and the Beetle ruins."_

_ "That's all I needed to hear," she stated as she took out the USB from the insert. "You downloaded your files as well, correct?"_

_ "They're 89% done," Roy replied as the data slowly increased percent by percent._

_ "C'mon," Adrianne sighed. "They're come about any second. That new Kid Flash, I mean."_

_ "Not like we have any other option," Roy flared as the downloading process was now at 94%._

_ "Okay, I get your point, but seriously," She frowned at our current situations._

_ "We go through situations in which we almost die from, and you're freaking out over this matter, really?" Roy smacked his forehead, embarrassed to have ever known me._

_ Adrianne then kissed his cheek, "Sorry, Roy."_

_ His cheeks then flared a light coral, "E-erm, o-okay."_

The tape ended there as I felt a surge of jealousy fill my heart. Why was I so angry over some small kiss? It was just Adrianne . . . the girl who only viewed me as . . . her brother . . . Adrianne.

Batman then immediately snapped me out of my thoughts, saying, "Aqualad, make a call to Aquaman concerning Black Manta."

"Yes, sir," Aqualad bowed slightly before rushing down to the main atrium.

"Superboy and Artemis," Batman continued. "Zeta to both Metropolis and Central City. Artemis to Central, and Superboy to Metropolis. Most of the female part of the League are at Central celebrating something, while the male section of the League are celebrating something in Metropolis. The women's at Iris Allen's house, while the men are at Superman's. Call them up here for an emergency meeting."

"Nightwing, gather more information about these five locations," the League member continued.

"Blue Beetle and Zatanna," Batman proceeded. "You two will be heading for the Beetle Ruins along with Rocket once she arrives.

"Kid Flash," Batman said lastly. "Stay with Nightwing."

"Aw, man! No action for me?" he pouted as Batman proceeded towards the main atrium where Aqualad was.

"So, what am I to do again?" Bart asked as he was the only other person in the room besides myself.

"Just wait," I ordered as I was still researching the five locations Batman asked me to undercover.

He pouted yet again as he then sat down on one of the chairs surrounding the rounded meeting table.

This . . . was going to be one . . . _difficult . . ._ mission.


	6. Chapter Five: Now We Contact the League

**Chapter Five**

**"Now We Contact the League."**

**-Quote from Aqualad**

**September 18**

**The Watchtower**

**Nightwing's Point of View**

"So what's the plan?" Aqualad asked as the senior members of the Team (Artemis, Superboy, Megan, Aqualad, and I) and the rest of the League were finally gathered around the circular table, holograms in front of each and every person as we were determining the best source of action.

"We all know that the Himalayas are extremely cold and are subject to avalanches even at the slightest knock on some snow. Very dangerous territory. However, we don't know who in the Light is guarding that place. We can't afford to lose members of the League or the Team by simply not knowing who we're up against. That's reckless," Batman informed the lot of us.

"So, in other words, you're implying that we should contact Adrianne and Roy," I commented.

"Want to do the honors?" Batman gave me a light smile as he tossed me the signaling device.

"Not like I can just toss it back at you," I muttered as I pressed the recording device. "Hey, uh, Adrianne. Watchtower in ten? Or, like, now?"

Batman deadpanned, "Really? _That's_ how you plan on convincing her to get her here as quickly as possible?"

I faked a cough, "Ahem."

"In any case," Black Canary continued the conversation from the awkward tension between Batman and I. "What are the conditions in the Beetle Ruins?"

Batman returned his attention to the main holographic screen, switching the computer screen to another slide for everyone at the table to view.

"The Beetle Ruins are located under the main grounds of the Bialyan castle. Of course, Queen Bee is most likely placing it under high security, as they are most probable into finding the piece of the 'Lyatle' enclosed there.

"Before we continue onward," Batman continued his speech. "I must discuss with you what the Lyatle is and what we know it can do. It is similar to the incident with Tiamat, where you needed to assemble the keys to unlock the doors to the creature. This is a similar case, except on a much larger scale. Archeologists have not yet found this artifact, and Helena Sandsmark is already made the matter her highest priority.

"Now onward to where the other pieces of this key is located . . . There is one in the Atlantean ruins, which is heavily guarded by mystical magic and spells. Aquaman has confirmed that Black Manta has somehow escaped prison, placing a clone of himself there instead . . . We're still not sure how that happened.

"Next: Yosemite State Park—home to many species of wildlife and rare calcites, graphites, and minerals. This is the place where the fourth part to the key is supposedly held. It can be pretty cold in winter, and warm in summer. Though, as of the moment, as it is September, it is considered chilly.

"Last is Warworld, a planet we saw last by Rimbor. We will most likely need the Green Lantern's assistance in this part of the situation. I do not know if Warworld has already departed from Rimbor in the past few years, but it could also be stationed by that particular planet. The conditions on that planet is the fact that, under the world's level grounds, are high-tech missiles and machine guns, built specifically by Mongul himself until his temporary downfall. We _also_ don't know where he is, but whether Mongul is crucial to this situation or not will unfold later on in the future. Because Aqualad and Artemis served the Light undercover for a few months (Aqualad for a few years), the League will most likely depart those two if we ever needed to go there, of course with an intergalactic being who can travel within the atmosphere."

Abruptly, the door creaked open, revealing none other than Arsenal behind the door.

"Roy!" Green Arrow immediately arose from his chair, coming over to greet his former protégée—giving him a warm embrace.

"Hey, old man," Roy joked as he returned the embrace.

"I didn't really get to talk to you at Cadmus last time," Green Arrow exhaled. "We need to catch up."

Roy replied with a small smile, "Yeah, sure. We should."

"Where's Adrianne?" Batman narrowed his eyes at Roy.

"She's . . . coming," Roy responded instantaneously, before grabbing the door and peaking his head out into the main atrium, shouting softly. "Adrianne, get over here. _Now_."

"You don't have to be such a meanie for that," she spat 'viciously.' "I'm here . . . in like, what? Ten minutes? As asked?"

"Adrianne, good of you to join us," Batman greeted monotonously.

"Nice to be back," she gave that dazzling (in my opinion) smile of hers.

"Adrianne, there's an empty seats beside Nightwing," Batman told them passively, and I mentally thanked him for arranging the seating order so that Adrianne could be near me. "Roy, beside Green Arrow."

The two of them immediately took their seats. After taking her seat, Adrianne took the honors of kicking my leg under the table as the meeting proceeded—an act we both did to one another when we were children.

"Now," Batman continued the meeting. "Would either of you two care to share what information you have?"

"Wait, so _that's_ the reason why you called us here on such short notice?" Adrianne raised an eyebrow before responding in a serious tone. "You know, Roy and I are perfectly capable of completing this task on our own. Not to sound obnoxious or anything

"Doing a mission as dire as this _solo_ is not a _wise_ choice, Adrianne," the Bat reprimanded her, causing her cringe back and remain silent. "We want to complete this quickly."

"If you insist," Adrianne nodded her head in comply. "Roy, plug in the USB into the plug situation under the table."

Roy did as he was told as several files concerning the Lyatle appeared onto the screens of all the members at the table.

"Now, if I may present," Adrianne gave everyone a warm smile before standing up to represent her speech.

**Adrianne Wayne's Point of View**

"I am quite sure that Batman has told all of you the conditions known of all five locations possibly containing the Lyatle," I began my monologue. "Before arriving here, Roy and I intercepted a call between Queen Bee and Lex Luthor—in which they stated that the Beetle Ruins were being excavated since its partial ruin when Blue Beetle, Zatanna, Rocket, and so forth went there to extract the Beetle from . . . Forgot his name . . . But you know who he is.

"In any case, Queen Bee said she was near to getting excavating that piece. However, there are many puzzles to undermine the ruins without being eliminated—like in the pyramids in Egypt. The approximate time period she said she would get to the enclosed piece was about three days. Sportsmaster has gotten farther and farther into solving the puzzles there.

"Meanwhile, in Yosemite State Park, where Luthor is currently stationed, he has Parasite and Professor Ivo undermining the places there in search for the missing piece. That's all the information I have on _that_ matter.

"In Atlantis, Black Manta is undermining the mystical caverns or something of the sort . . . When I say Atlantis, I mean _near_ Atlantis, not necessarily at that specific site. Though I think that you all believe that the piece is held at the main temples of Atlantis, but I believe that there is another tavern underwater that, no offense, Aquaman, we don't know of necessarily.

"Hm . . . What else am I missing . . . Oh, yeah. In the Himalayas, Icicle Jr., Frost, and Captain Cold are all in the process of excavating the piece there within the mounts. All they know is that the piece is there, but they don't know _where_ in the Himalayas that holds the piece. Of course, I believe we'll need a carbon dioxide-14 tracer, since that is the compound released from old, ancient objects, artifacts, and cadavers.

"Last on the list is Warworld. I don't know how we'll be able to trace it without the help of the Green Lanterns, for their extensive transportation ability throughout the universe, Icon, for his comprehensive knowledge of extraterrestrial affairs, Rocket, for also her knowledge of extraterrestrial law and her meta-human abilities, and Martian Manhunter for his proficiency in alien history and literature. I believe M'gann would be more useful here on earth because of her similar Martian abilities and understanding of alien activity."

I finished my rant as I awaited Batman's reply . . . and as well as the rest of the League.

"Superman?" Batman asked his peer and fellow founder of the League. "What do you think?"

"I believe that two of the Green Lanterns, Icon, Rocket, and Manhunter should travel to Rimbor and check whether or not Warworld is still there. Of course, do not land on the planet since we had . . . a _past_ with that planet, and we swore never again to step upon their land," Superman said wiser than usual . . . no offense to Superman. "In other words, I second Adrianne's notion."

"If I may," I spoke out yet again. "The Flash and Black Canary will be the bait, in case of any enemy fire, as Batgirl and Superboy gather the piece. At least that's what I believe should be the plan. But to where they go . . . I believe Yosemite."

"Whatever you say, Adrianne," the Flash placed his hands up in 'surrender,' and I chuckled at his response.

"Remember, these are just my suggestions, so I believe that Batman, Nightwing, Artemis, and Wonder Girl can stay at the Watchtower and cover the intelligence and status report sector," I continued. "Oh, and, Roy and I were going to go down to Atlantis before you guys called . . . so, we are definitely going there, though I would station Aqualad there as well. I believe Aquaman should come as well if he would like to."

Aqualad and Aquaman exchanged glances before Aqualad replied, "We don't see why not."

"Then, it's settled," I smiled. "We now just need to re-state who's going where, and maybe change a few things here and there."

"Alright," Batman said monotonously. "Since I am the leader of the Justice League, _I_ . . . will state who goes where."

We all turned out full attention to Batman as he gave out his final orders.

"I want John Stewart, Hal Jordan, Icon, and Manhunter to travel to Rimbor and _check,_ do not land on Rimbor, to see whether or not Warworld is still there or not. If it is, you shall go on a _covert_ mission and gather all the information that you can. In any case of trouble, you are to return immediately. Understood? You can depart tomorrow. Go home, rest, and get ready for tomorrow. If you all would like and agree to an earlier date to depart, inform me first before going. You four are dismissed," Batman stated.

Both of the Green Lanterns, Icon, and Manhunter nodded their heads before exiting the room.

Batman continued, "For Yosemite, the Flash, Black Canary, Batgirl, and Beast Boy will go there tomorrow morning. You cannot leave at any earlier time than nine in the morning. You are to meet at the Watchtower, and then, when I allow you to, you may go. This is an extensive mission that we cannot afford to be disorganized. Go home, rest, and get ready for tomorrow. You four are dismissed."

The four Batman stated headed for Yosemite State Park the following day got up and left the meeting room.

"For the Himelayas, I want Kid Flash, Miss Martian, Superboy, and Wondergirl to go there tomorrow. You are to report to the Watchtower at nine, and when I tell you may go, you go," the leader of the Justice League narrowed his eyes at the 'children.' "You are dismissed for now. Go home, get some rest, and get ready for tomorrow."

"For the Beetle Ruins, I will send Artemis, Blue Beetle, Zatanna, and Rocket," Batman declared. "Report to the Watchtower at _eight_, not nine, and I will do the final check-up on things before sending you off. Since the bioship will already be taken for the Himelayas, you'll be using _other_ means of transportation. You four are dismissed."

At that, Artemis, Blue Beetle, Zatanna, and Rocket bid their farewells before exiting the room.

"For the last site, the Atlantean temples, I want Aquaman, Aqualad, Lagoon Boy, and, if possible, Tempest. Aquaman, I think he would provide a great asset for this mission. Your three are dismissed. Go home, get some rest, and get ready for tomorrow," Batman stated.

I kind of felt bad for him for saying the same thing over and over again. _Go home, get some rest, and get ready for tomorrow._ Wow . . . A bit repetitive. Wait a moment, I though Roy and I already had dibs on that mission!

"Batman, I told you that Roy and I had that part covered," I raised an eyebrow at my guardian.

"I want you to stay at the Watchtower, and Roy and Green Arrow to their home city where I will have those two cover a Star Labs murder mystery. The death of a mutagen-educated scientist, closely affiliated with the League, was murdered two days ago. Local police have found no evidence, and I had a meeting with him the day previous to his murder. There were no open wounds or any signs of suffocation, but a small, swollen rash on his arm. I would guess black widow bite, venomous enough to kill. Maybe the spider was genetically altered or so . . . In any case, you two will cover that," Batman said so passively.

"Tsk," I muttered to myself. "Why is it that I help them, and this is how things are . . ."

Nightwing apparently heard what I had said and chuckled beside me, "You're hopeless, Adrianne."

"And you're saying you're not?" I bit my lip to suppress my rising laughter.

We both chuckled softly at our idiocy.

"Before the rest of the League can be dismissed, the people who will report to the Watchtower at seven A.M. are Adrianne, Nightwing, Robin, Roy, Green Arrow, Captain Atom, and myself," Batman concluded finally. "Meeting adjourned."

At that, everyone immediately rushed out of the meeting room aside from Batman, Nightwing, Roy, and myself.

"Are you staying over at Wayne's tonight?" Richard whispered in my ear. "You haven't in a while. Please?"

"What about Roy?" I whispered back. "I can't leave him alone."

I felt someone tap my shoulder—Roy, "Hey, I'm going to go meet up with Red Arrow and Jade. Check up on them. So I'm going to stay with Green Arrow for the night. Is that alright with you?"

"Sure," I smiled at him, kissing his cheek. "See you tomorrow at seven."

"S-see you," he stuttered as he exited the room.

Richard gave me a look, "Are you guys together?"

"Naw," I chuckled. "We're friends who do weird stuff, a.k.a. beat villains."

"You seem like girlfriend and boyfriend to me," he laughed nervously as we exited the room together.

I laughed lightly, "Yeah. I guess. We sometimes act so to get past a few parties and save the day, but, aside from that, not really."

"So, um, ready to go home?" he asked me nervously as he stood in front of the zeta tubes.

I rolled my eyes before mocking an English accent, stepping into the zeta tubes after typing in my destination, "As I'll ever be."


	7. Chapter Six: Night(Wing)

**Chapter Six**

**Night(Wing)**

**Adrianne Wayne's Point of View**

As we reached 'home,' Richard, Tim, Barbara, and I were immediately greeted by Alfred.

"Good _evening_, Master Bruce," the butler welcomed Batman with his usual poker face and satiric tone.

"Evening, Alfred," Batman replied before taking his mask off, after he was sure that no strangers were present in the room. "Dick, Tim, Barbara, Adrianne . . . You all know where to go. I'll be in my main office finishing a few details regarding to Wayne industries . . . until then . . ."

"Yes, sir," we all said in unison with straight faces before heading towards our respective bedrooms.

I wondered if they had changed my room or not. Was it still the same? Gray drawers. White-laced curtains hung by the window. Gray walls. Was it all still the same? I must admit that my room was _far_ less dark-colored or such compared to the other rooms in the Wayne manor. Richard's room was literally mahogany walls plastered with a bed at the center and a closet. No furniture otherwise whatsoever. For Tim and Barbara, however, I wasn't completely sure.

Another thing I wondered was whether or not the rooms Richard and I occupied were still next to one another. Did he switch rooms? Did Bruce switch mine?

I made a left turn along with Richard as Barbara and Tim made a right turn at the hallway.

Before Barbara and Tim were completely out of sight, I called out to them, asking, "Do you guys want to play cards later?"

Richard deadpanned, his arms hung loosely by his sides, "Really? You _still_ liked cards even after all these years?"

I raised an eyebrow at him after I had turned my head at his direction, "Are you saying _you_ don't?"

"Um," Richard trailed off as he scratched the nape of his neck.

"In any case, do you guys want to later? I'm totally fine if you don't. I can drag Richard to play with me instead," I told them with a small smile innocently.

"Hey! Do _I_ have a say in this?" Richard responded to the situation aghast.

"Not really, no," I chuckled before returning my attention to Barbara and Tim. "We can play at . . . like . . . ten."

"Yeah, sure," Barbara replied for both Tim and her before they disappeared down the hallway. "See you later."

"Bye," I replied before pouncing on Richard's back, making him piggy-back ride me. "Get me to my room please, thanks."

"Ugh, I hate you," he teased with a curt sigh before hefting me up to a more comfortable stated and carrying me to my room down at the end of the hall.

As he carried me step by step to my room, I nuzzled my neck down by the crevice of his neck, wrapping my arms around him tighter. I felt Richard tighten at my actions before he continued to walk down the hallway without saying a word.

"Here we are," he told me as he hefted me off him.

After I landed down to the mahogany floorboards safe and sound, I gave a small, nervous laugh before saying, "Was I too heavy for you?"

He deadpanned, "Hell, no."

"_Language_, mister," I laughed with a closed-eye smile.

"I think you're old enough, Adrianne," he snorted, stifling the tip of his nose with his index finger.

"Hahaha," I responded with a chuckle. "I guess I am."

Richard took off his eye mask, shadowing partial of his face before tucking away the item of clothing away into his side pocket at his thigh.

"I see you've quit the secret identity thingy Batman always taught us to do," Richard 'coughed.'

We were both still by the wall between the both of our rooms—technically in the hallway.

"Yeah," I sighed. "I'm not really registered for any job at the moment—aside form internal medicine and general surgery. My main job is to defend the earth, and so _that_ . . . I will do."

Richard leaned against the wall, his arms crossed, "I guess so."

There was a few moments of silence between us before Richard finally continued, "Well, I'm going to go change. When I'm done, I'll knock on your door, and we can continue to catch up."

"Yeah, sure," I flashed him the quickest and smallest of smiles before turning my back to him, entering my room.

As I entered, the wisp of cotton/flannel-smelling aroma hit me almost immediately. It was the same old aroma, and I appreciated Bruce and Alfred for keeping it that way.

My hands automatically traced the top of the white drawers, as if to remember the feeling and memories that flooded me . . . when I as an orphan . . . until now. It had been so many years since Bruce had taken me in . . . yet how fast did it fly by?

Snapping out of my reverie, I dropped my bag onto the floor, leaning it against my bed before opening one of my drawers to get a change of clothes—a beige, cotton turtleneck and dark gray sweatpants . . . just like the good old days.

I then entered the bathroom, took a shower, changed into the new set of clothes, brushed my hair, and then finally exited—taking the old set of dirty clothes I was wearing earlier to the washing room to wash and dry the clothes . . . as well was the other dirty clothes I kept in my bag. Every now and then, I would wash it, but it was difficult, as some missions, I couldn't spare any water to wash them. Kind of a given, I know.

After doing so, I returned to my room, where Richard was waiting outside my door—his hair wet as well. He was wearing black sport shorts with a maroon long-sleeved t-shirt.

"Long time no see," I teased, gently punching his shoulder.

He rolled his eyes, "Pft, totally." Sarcasm was completely clear in his voice.

I chuckled at him before opening my door for both him and me to enter. I then closed the door behind us after we were both inside. I plopped down onto the bed before patting the spot beside me—signaling him to sit beside me.

"So what do you want to catch up on?" I asked Richard after he took his seat beside me.

He pursed his lips slightly before replying, "Truth be told, I don't know. All I want to know is why you left for so long without coming back."

My stance immediately faltered—not moving at all . . . not an inch . . . not a centimeter . . . not even a teeny bit. If he knew why, my feelings for him would only return . . . Not only that, he probably wouldn't talk to me, but rather ignore me for the rest of the days in my life.

Richard raised an eyebrow at me, "What's wrong? Was it something I said?"

It looked like I took too long to think of a logical response.

I quickly replied, lying, "Oh, no. I just had this little flashback to when we were kids. That's all."

He eyed me warily, "If you say so . . . Are you going to answer the question or . . ."

I gave him a light chuckle, "Of course."

He awaited my answer.

"I just wanted to explore the world, halt crime in some places, meet new people, find and terminate bad guys and villains . . . the usual," I answered casually.

His eyes widened, "By terminate . . . do you mean . . ."

I knew what he was implying. I hesitated before responded to his question, "One time I killed a man by accident. The other time, this villain had this really life-terminating disease . . . so that killed him while I was fighting him, though I probably head-speeded his impending death. Here and then, the government would issue me to abort whatever mission I was doing at the time, and order me to terminate some evil political leader. I did those kind of missions a few times, since it was for the greater good of humanity. When they asked me to kill bin Laden, though, I was in a middle of finishing some Cadmus stuff, so I declined. They were furious at me, but they let it slide, since I did all their _other_ dirty work. So, yeah . . . I've . . . murdered a few times, though I'm not really proud of it."

Richard narrowed his eyes at me, "You of all people know better than to kill, Adrianne."

My 'brother' looked at me in sharp disappointment as I responded with a grim smile.

"Yeah, I know," I sighed. "But Batman allowed me to, permitting me to do those kind of missions if and _only if_ they U.S. government asked me to kill those radical people. But, yeah. They even asked me to kill Joker, but I knew Batman would _kill_ me if I did, so . . . yeah."

He paused before replying, "Just don't do it anymore."

"There's a reason why I quit, Richard," I chuckled, punching his shoulder playfully.

"Geez," he 'whimpered.' "You always punch me on the same shoulder at the same spot, Adrianne. What did I do to deserve this treatment, huh?"

We both shared a laugh before it was long-lived—ending in an utter silence.

Richard glanced at his watch before telling me the time, "It's almost ten. Tim and Barbara should be here soon."

"Okay," I replied simply before proceeding to ask him with a smirk. "So . . . are you and Zatanna together again?"

He immediately 'coughed' a fit, "No."

"You guys seemed _awfully_ flirtatious, bold, and _together_ to me," I literally guffawed as Richard's face immediately reddened.

He continued his 'coughing' fit, "Wh-what makes you say that?"

I continued me 'endless' laughter, before replying with a smug smile, "When I attempted to steal some information from the Watchtower databases a yesterday, Roy and I stumbled upon you two in the main atrium before you were going to watch whatever movie it was, I forgot. Hahaha."

Richard's blush deepened an even darker hue of scarlet, "N-no, th-that's not true. Besides, I like someone else."

He said the last part a little quieter, but enough for me to hear.

I raised an eyebrow as a slight flash of pain lacerated a bit of my heart, "And who might that be?"

"Y-you don't need to know," he whispered with a stammer.

"Aw, c'mon," I chuckled before pouting. "I'm your sister. You love me too much."

The edge of one corner of his mouth curved up into a curt half-smile, "Pft. That's true."

At that, I beamed, "Then tell me!"

I then shook both his shoulders 'violently,' his head vibrating deathly as Barbara and Tim then entered the room.

"Oooookay," Barbara stated, eyes wide as her hand was still on the doorknob. "What's going on here . . ."

Tim simply stared at us, his mouth shaped in an 'o.' He had his dark-tinted sunglasses on, although we were all technically 'family.' Barbara, on the other hand, had a bare face—no makeup or sunglasses to accommodate her.

"He won't tell me who he likes," I 'cried' a pool of tears.

Barbara laughed before saying, "You'll _kill_ him before he can even tell you."

"True," I laughed softly before dropping Richard to the floor since my fist scrunched his shirt up, his body previously hanging in the air.

"Hey!" he rubbed his head. "That hurt!"

Barbara and I both rolled our eyes before saying in unison, "You'll live."

We then both turned to each other, saying, "Jinx."

A few more moments of silence stood between us before we both laughed the matter off.

"Cards now, everyone?" I smiled as I sat down, criss-cross, leaned over to the nightstand, opened the drawer, and took the deck of cards out of the furnishing.

"That's what we came here for, after all," Barbara chuckled before sitting down beside me. Tim then sat at the other end of me and Richard between Barbara and Tim.

I then heard a few whispers between Richard and Tim, though I couldn't catch the whole conversation. I continued to shuffle as I asked, "What're you guys talking about?"

"He wants to sit beside you, Hahaha," Tim smirked smugly at Richard. "But I already claimed this spot."

"You know I could easily push you aside, right?" Richard deadpanned. "I'm asking nicely here."

"Ha, but . . . I know, at times like these, you wouldn't," Tim smiled smugly before looking at the cards placed before him.

After I had finished shuffling, Barbara distributed the cards out equally to everyone.

"What game are we playing again?" Tim asked after he and Richard settled down their small dispute.

"Richard and I _love_ the game of 'thirteen,' so we might as well play that," I replied with a shrug as I picked up my cards and sorted them out to my liking.

"I have the three of spades, so I'll go first," Barbara informed us as she placed the said 'three' down at the center of the circle.

"I'll go next then," I offered as I now made the order—Barbara, me, Tim, and then finally Richard. "So, Tim, like being Robin so far?"

He laughed, "It's so fun being the replacement of Richard. He's partially my mentor for the 'hero' life, but, otherwise, he's the _'best'_ brother out there."

Richard immediately glared at Tim, "I _heard_ the words dripping with sarcasm, Tim,"

Tim guffawed, "Ha!"

We continued to place our cards down as we continued our conversation.

"I heard you're dating Cassie now," I laughed lightly at Tim. "Kids nowadays . . . Falling in love so young."

"You're making it sound like you're an old grandma," Richard deadpanned as he set his card down at the center of the circle, continuing our game of cards.

"Funny, Richard," I rolled my eyes. "I'm in my twenties."

There was a certain pause of silence as only the setting of cards at the center of the floor could be heard.

Barbara attempted to renew the lost conversation, speaking, arching her eyebrow, "Say, I see you and Arsenal are _really_ close. Any gossip or details you'd like to share with the lot of us?"

I laughed, "He's like my best friend. I couldn't ask for a companion more loyal, trustworthy, and easy to talk to as Roy. Seriously, he's the best guys out there, I swear."

Richard clutched his chest in 'pain,' "I'm hurt, Adrianne. I thought I was the best guy out there in your eyes."

"Psh," I chuckled before teasing. "I like Tim better than you, Richard."

Richard deadpanned, "Gee, thanks."

"No problem," I shrugged as I set my card down after Barbara put down hers.

"But seriously, Adrianne," Barbara said so in a more serious tone. "Did you two have a fling at one time or . . . because you're like kissing his cheek a lot, Hahaha."

"Nah," I shook my head. "We're just really good friends."

Tim leaned over to Richard, using his hand to shield his mouth as he whispered, "Looks like someone's getting friend-zoned."

"I heard that," I deadpanned as Tim simply chuckled.

"So, have you dated anyone? Interested in any guy?" Barbara continued to talk about romance.

I laughed, "No, not yet. I've liked this guy for like an eternity, but then I quit. So, I'm not interested in anyone right now."

I heard Richard draw in a quick breath before I set down my card—the last one in my set.

"Ha! In your _faces_, guys! I win!" I shouted in pure glee as everyone else looked at me 'scared.'

"You got some _problems_ there, Adrianne," Tim stated the obvious as I chuckled at his reaction.

"Aw, thanks, bro," I scrunched up the top of his head before gathering up all the cards together once again.

We played cards until about an hour before midnight, in which we slept, awaiting for the large mission the next day . . .


	8. Chapter Seven: Silence

**Chapter Seven**

**Silence**

**September 19**

**Wayne Manor**

**Adrianne Wayne's Point of View**

_Beep._

_ Beep._

_ Beep._

The alarm clock buzzed in its excitement as it vexed me to the point of "death"—awakening.

I sighed groggily, "Why, earth, why . . ."

Forcing myself out of bed, I rubbed my eyes in an attempt to further alert myself as my feet dangled at the edge of the bed.

Before long, I stood up, stretched for about twenty minutes, did my daily hygiene, and changed into my "hero-mode" attire— the brown, sleeveless paka jacket, the long-sleeved dark gray t-shirt underneath, and my usual half-cut pants—before arranging my weapons into the slots and pockets of my paka.

I glanced at the clock. It read 6:04 A.M. Decent timing.

As I rushed down the stairs, I felt someone jump upon me, forcing me to piggyback ride him or her.

"G' morning, Addy," Tim greeted my in the most jovial of manners, especially from him.

"Morning, Tim," I chuckled as I carried him down the endless trail of stairs.

"You're happy to see me, aren't you?" he gave me a smug smile as he teased me—his words dripping with sarcasm.

"So, how are you and Cassie?" I asked in one fluid motion as we finally reached the bottom of the stairs, changing the subject.

He blushed bright scarlet, immediately taken back, before he stammered in reply, "Wh-what makes y-you a-ask that?"

I laughed even harder, "Hahaha! I flipping knew it already anyways."

"Pft," he blew out a puff of air. "Then what was the whole point of asking?"

I shrugged, "Reactions."

"Tch," he grunted until we reached the end of the staircase, where I then immediately dropped him to the floor, his head smacking the smooth, varnished surface of the mahogany floor.

"Hey!" he shouted, shooting me daggers through his frosty glare. "What was that for?"

"Eh, nothing, but you weren't getting off of me," I laughed lightly.

Tim smoothed the ends of his hair back into place before we both walked into the kitchen, where Alfred was already there making everyone breakfast.

I sighed softly . . . Just like the good ol' days.

As Tim and I soon rounded ourselves to the dining hall, Bruce, Richard, and Barbara were already there waiting for us.

"Someone's late in timing," Richard 'coughed.' "Later than you usually are, Adrianne."

"_For_ your information, Richard," I rolled my eyes as I pushed the dining chair back to sit before pulling it back forward to its original position. "Timothy and I were having some brother and sister bonding time."

Tim raised an eyebrow at me as he took the seat beside Richard, "We were?"

I deadpanned.

"Oh, _yeah_," Tim emphasized the last word. "We _were_."

Barbara chuckled at our petty actions.

As of now, Bruce was at the end of the table. To his right lied Richard, and beside Richard was Timothy. To Bruce's left lied Barbara, and beside Barbara was myself.

Barbara cleared her throat before asking me in a whisper as Timothy and Richard were in the midst of their bickering, "While we're waiting for our food to come by, _tell me_, Adrianne, you've known Richard for the longest, and, Zatanna's been asking me how to get Richard back to date her and stuff, and, personally speaking, though I've been living with him and once had a crush on him, I don't know how to capture his attention. He's a player all over the place, just like Bruce."

Bruce coughed his throat, his stare directly at us, "Ahem, ladies."

Barbara's cheeks huffed a light shade scarlet as the boys stopped whatever they were bickering about to crack up at us.

"Ha! Someone got their butt whipped!" Richard guffawed.

I deadpanned before responding, "By who, may I ask?"

"Bruce," was Richard's reply, as he said so as if it were the most obvious thing in the universe.

"Do you even know what we were talking about?" I said as I stared at him blatantly.

"No, but working with him for these past several years has really bunked up some Batman habits within me," Richard chuckled.

I laughed along with him, "Wow, how relaxing for Bruce, which, by the way, Bruce, he could come back and kill you any second with all the habits of yours he's gathered—and that includes stealing the ladies from you, hahaha!"

"You're too loud for the mornings, Adrianne," was Bruce's simple, yet outlasting reply.

"Your comebacks are to die for, Bruce," I chuckled before Alfred came with the morning's breakfast.

As Alfred was setting the dishes before us, Bruce reminded us one last thing, "Eat quickly. We have to get to the Watchtower as soon as possible."

"So precise, Bruce," I chuckled once again at my adopted father.

His stare bore right through me before he turned his attention to the food before him.

"Amazing scrambled eggs, Alfred," Tim remarked, complimenting the butler. "They're delicious as always."

"Why thank you, Master Tim," Alfred replied with his usual satiric tone—monotone yet with a hint of sarcasm.

"My pleasure," Tim said in a mature manner—with wise farther than others his age.

With that being said, Alfred departed the room, leaving Bruce, Barbara, Tim, Richard, and I together alone in the dining room.

"So," Richard began the conversation nervously after several minutes of pure silence. "How's life, everyone?"

"Fine," Barbara replied simply.

Bruce grunted a "tch," while Tim and I were plainly eating the scrambled eggs before us in content.

"Why is it that when I talk, no one wants to reply . . ." Richard shook his head disapprovingly. "This life ain't fair."

"You're damn right it isn't," I teased before continuing to eat my scrambled eggs in silence.

No matter what Alfred was assigned to do, he made the simple to be exquisite. Scrambled eggs is an simple, easy dish, right? Nope. Alfred takes the idea of scrambled eggs to a whole other level. The spices used to season the eggs themselves . . . The right amount of heat to cook the eggs as well . . . Perfection.

Before long, everyone had finished eating, scraping whatever little crumbs remained on the dish before heading out to the Batcave to zeta to the Watchtower.

"I swear," I 'died.' "Alfred's cooking is so good . . . He's bound to fatten me up some ten to twenty pounds until I leave."

"Don't you want to stay?" Richard asked me hesitantly, hinting some signs of bittersweet. "At least for a little bit?"

I sighed, "I don't know . . . I kind of want to go journey and save some people for a bit again with Roy. He's like my best friend and all."

Richard deadpanned, "And, I am not?"

I laughed, "I don't count you as my friend. You're the best brother anyone can ever ask for, man."

**Nightwing's Point of View**

My breath was caught in my throat. Best brother she could ever have . . . Which was worse—friend-zone or step-brother-zoned I would never know. One thing I knew for sure was that I would have to step up my game . . . _today._

Moments afterward, Bruce came down to the Batcave—in full costume as he then said in one fluid motion, "You four ready?"

"I don't think we'd be your children if we weren't, Batman," Tim jested before we entered the zeta tube, teleporting to the Watchtower almost immediately.

**September 19, 7:00 A.M.**

**Watchtower**

**Adrianne Wayne's Point of View**

I glanced at the clock—seven on the dot.

"Nice timing, Batman," I commented to my mentor and father.

He gave me a curt nod before gliding over to the main computer, pulling out holograms and such to have the missions set and ready for each unit.

"Adrianne," he called for me. "You will take charge over both Roy and Green Arrow's mission at Star Labs and the Atlantean Ruins mission. Nightwing, you're in charge of the Yosemite and Himalayan missions. Robin, you'll be taking on the Rimbor and Beetle Ruins missions. Captain Atom and I will be patrolling down on earth. If at any given time the lot of you need either Captain Atom or I, give us a call, and we'll be there as soon as possible. Now, get to work. Batgirl, you and your team will depart once everyone arrives."

"Yes, sir," we all said at once.

With that being said, Captain Atom, who was lurking in the shadows, and Batman himself left the Watchtower via zeta to a destination unknown to the four of us.

_Ding. Ding. _Batgirl's tele-message buzzed from her pocket. She picked up the contraption, reading whatever message it held, replying, before turning it off. We all looked at her expectantly to see what was going on.

"Black Canary and the Flash are on their way," she informed us, quick and on the point. "Beast Boy is coming a little late. Last night, we said to meet up at 7:10, but B.B. will be coming at 7:15, which is not that much of a big deal. We're going to zeta over to Yosemite anyways, so it's all good."

"Nice to know," Nightwing remarked. "Since I will be the one patrolling your unit."

"No problem, _Captain,_" Barbara rolled her eyes at her brother.

"Hey!" Nightwing put his hands up in defense. "It's a fact. Batman put me up to the task."

I muttered 'quietly' to myself, "Whether or not you'll be able to execute it properly is another story."

"Hey!" he 'flipped' out at me, lashing all of his 'anger' with a swing of his arm. "Adrianne! You're supposed to take my side on this!"

I chuckled before taking a few steps backwards to review the information of the units I would be in charge of: the Star Labs murder mystery and the Atlantean Ruins' missing piece of the Lyatle. These two would be interesting to account for.

Before long, two people were transported via zeta to the Watchtower—the Flash and Black Canary.

"Hi, everybody," Canary waved at us as she walked down the steps to the center of the Watchtower's main atrium. Beside her was none other than the Flash, who would be accompanying her, Batgirl, and Beast Boy on the mission.

He greeted us warmly with that special 'zap' of his, "Hey, kids! How's life been for you since yesterday?"

"Nice, I guess," I replied with equal warmth. "A lot of work to do today, eh?"

"You bet," he winked. "Nothing's better than superhero work on a fantastic day!"

We all, including Black Canary, chuckled at his enthusiasm and zeal for the matter.

"Where's Beast Boy?" Canary asked fluently. "He should be here by now."

Batgirl replied, "Oh, yeah. He texted me earlier saying he'd be running a little late. Miss Martian is making him do some Martian-y stuff or something. Apparently it'll be useful for the mission."

"Well, that's good," Canary closed-eye smiled.

As if on cue, a panting Beast Boy came rushing through the zeta tube, out of breath.

"Sorry, everyone!" he wheezed. "Megan made me do all sorts of stuff. Hardcore training and stuff. In other words, crash course to Martian arts."

With that being said, he collapsed on the floor of the Watchtower, completely out of breath.

"A moment, please," he breathed heavily. "If that's alright with you."

"No problem," Black Canary replied with a small chuckled. "We're in to particular rush."

"Well, I'm always in a rush, Canary," the Flash teased her about his supernatural powers.

She deadpanned, "Well, aside from you."

We all laughed at the hilarious Flash.

Moments later, Beast Boy caught his breath, stood up, and said in one fluid motion, "Okay, I'm ready. How are we getting there again?"

"Zeta" was Batgirl's simple reply as the four said team members gathered in front of the zeta tube.

"Do you guys need anything before going?" I raised an eyebrow. "Some last minute check-ups wouldn't hurt. Do you have everything you need?"

"You sound like a mother, Adrianne," Black Canary shook her head 'disapprovingly' at me.

"Some snacks would be nice," the Flash smiled brightly at me.

Canary smacked his head, causing him to fall down face-first onto the cold, hard floor, "Idiot."

"Hey! I'm a growing man! I require food in place of my fast metabolism," the Flash whined.

"Chill, you two," Batgirl deadpanned. "You two are the adults here, not me or Beast Boy, so why are you acting all child-like."

Black Canary shrugged, "Well, there's nothing wrong with that notion."

The Flash raised his pointer finger, saying, "Um, actually, _I_ have a problem with-"

Canary smacked him roughly, making him fall face-first onto the cold, hard ground once again.

"Hey!" the Flash complained once more.

Batgirl, her patience running thin, shouted, "Just get in the zeta tube already!"

This caused both of the adults to jump from the sudden outburst and hurry into the zeta tube, where they were almost immediately teleported—the boisterous noise of their bickering now gone.

"Well, that was quick," Nightwing nodded his head in satisfaction. "Robin, the Rimbor mission is already in motion. You should check up on them soon. In less than an hour, the Beetle Ruins unit will be arriving, if not sooner. If you want to go into the adjacent room for quiet, fine by me. If not, stay here, the more the merrier."

As Richard said so, there was a certain edge to his voice that sounded as if he wanted Tim out of the room for at least several minutes.

Tim looked at Richard wearily before replying slowly, "I'll . . . be . . . back . . . I need to go to . . . the bathroom . . . or something."

With that being said, Tim scurried out of the room, out of sight.

"That was harsh," I chuckled, before I opened a hologram containing all the information about the Atlantean Ruins and the Star Labs murder case.

"Well, I just wanted some alone time with you," Richard replied warily.

Looking at the direction opposite to him, I blushed a soft scarlet, before saying as fluent as possible, "O-oh, okay."

He wrapped his arms around me from behind, nuzzling his chin at the crevice of my neck.

I shivered.

He then gave a light kiss at the nape of my neck before letting go of me as if nothing happened. The moment he let me go, it suddenly felt cold and frigid. His touch was warm and soft . . .

"Back," I heard Tim say as he closed the door behind him. "Did anyone call me yet, or . . ."

"Nope," Nightwing said fluidly as if nothing happened between us at all. "Nothing at all. Besides, we still have some forty minutes left before the next group supposedly comes.

Tim sighed, before noticing my slightly pink face and commented, "Yo, Adrianne, why is your face flushed?"

I snapped out of my incoherent thoughts instantaneously, "Wait, what, I am?"

Tim, who was looking my way, didn't see Nightwing, behind him, giving me the smallest of the smallest of smirks. That little . . .

I then looked away from Nightwing, hands in the pockets of my paka, as Nightwing had his hands in the pockets of his pants. We didn't look at each other.

Tim asked watchfully with a slight hint of hesitance, "Did . . . something happen between you two?"

"Nope, nothing at all," I immediately dismissed that thought and returned to reading the articles about Star Labs.

Here was one of them, an article from the Gotham Times:

**Star Labs Murder Mystery**

_ Dr. John Ashworth, a mutagen-educated scientist, was found dead in his Star Labs office on September 15. Police and investigators found no traces of evidence of any bullet, snakebites, or poisonings, but an abnormal rash situated at the center of the palm of his right hand._

_ Officer Garrick comments about the dire and dismal situation at hand, "Dr. Ashworth was well-known in Star City as an avid scientist as well as being closely associated with the Justice League. He was kind and caring to all around him. Therefore, finding him dead was a frightful and undesired sight to see."_

_ His family is now in mourning, and further details about this investigation will be disclosed once we find out more._

_ As of now, we can only wait or hope that the officers can figure this case out quickly or that the Justice League can come to save the day._

I looked at the given article on the hologram closely, looking at every word and detail of the case carefully. Any tips or insights to the case would greatly help Green Arrow and Roy on their mission to success.

In the background, Nightwing and Robin were bickering about who was the better of the two.

"I'm older, wiser, smarted, quicker, more agile, and I have more experience than you, Robin," Nighting pleaded his case.

"Well, I'm younger, have a more of a clear imagination, amazing, more agile, and sharper than you, Nightwing," Robin pleaded _his_ case. "Tell us, Adrianne. Who is the better one here?"

"Me," I replied monotonously, though it was for a tease.

"Wow," Nightwing and Robin both deadpanned.

"Come join us, Adrianne," Nightwing offered, his face blushing a slight hue of coral. "We haven't been like this since an eternity."

I flushed a slight shade of salmon, rubbing my temple, before sighing, "I guess I can afford to do so. Roy and Green Arrow aren't here yet, anyways, and Aquaman hasn't told me anything regarding whether or not he's started his mission yet or not either."

Nightwing offered me a seat next to him, making him between both Robin and I. As I sat down beside him, he placed his arm about my neck, yet on the rim of the couch.

The dark navy couches were positioned in a square, except the 'square' had only three sides, leaving the empty side of the square for a television or hologram. At the center of the 'square' was a glass table, which, at the center, lied a hurricane vase full of cherry blossom flowers.

_Buzz. Buzz. _Robin's tele-message buzzed, signaling either a message or a phone call directed towards him.

"It's Wonder Girl," he informed us. "I'm going to have to pick this one up."

With that being said, he rose up from the couch and exited the room for more peace and quiet.

After several moments of silence, Richard pulled my head against him, so that it rested at his broad chest.

"So, we're alone again," he whispered his remark.

He kissed the top of my head before brushing the stray strands of hair that covered my face.

At this point in time, I swear, my face was completely red as a tomato. Why was he doing this all of a sudden? I thought that he didn't like me at all, or, even for that matter, showed any interest in me.

We didn't talk at all in those moments while Robin was out of the room. Rather, we enjoyed the silence . . . while it lasted.


End file.
